Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina will flag off a new Indo-Bangla train next week, strengthening bilateral ties and communication. This will happen on November nine next.The commercial service between Kolkata and Khulna, the third-largest city of Bangladesh, will roll out after Modi and Hasina flags it off through a special video conference on November 9.The second passenger service — after Kolkata-Dhaka Maitri Express — between the two neighbours was announced during Hasina’s last Delhi visit in April.

Modi, Hasina and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had launched the opening of the route, but the actual passenger service was planned for a later date. As already noted there are two roads and rail links between Dhaka and Kolkata, tenders have been floated to connect Agartala with Akhaura, giving the landlocked northeast easier access to ports of Bangladesh. Rail link between Dhaka and Agartala will also significantly cut down travel time.